A winter storm breaks up over the Tenmile Range near Dillon, Colorado.

The break of day in Colorado.

When there’s a crack in the sky between the horizon and the clouds, and the sun comes up and fills that crack with pure light, it’s magic. And there’s other kinds of mountain magic too — the clearing of a winter storm, when the cloud veil parts to reveal a frosted world, or the light of an afternoon thunderstorm, all dark and ominous, while the foreground is bathed in bright sunshine. Check out more mountain light in the online Summit Voice gallery, where you can but prints, postcards and more and support online journalism!

Sunrise along the Blue River in Summit County, Colorado. @bberwyn photo.Biologists and volunteers count trout in the Blue River just below Dillon Reservoir and the Dillon Dam. @bberwyn photo.

Staff Report

Colorado’s continued unsustainable use water has taken a toll on trout in the Blue River, where Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists have decided to remove the gold medal designation from a 19-mile reach stretching from just north of Silverthorne to Green Mountain Reservoir.

According to CPW aquatic biologist Jon Ewert, unnatural stream flows, sparse aquatic invertebrate populations, low nutrient content and degraded habitat all contributed to the decline of the fishery. The agency said that stretch of the river hasn’t met the Gold Medal standard for about 15 years.

There’s better news farther downstream, where CPW designated a 24-mile reach of the Colorado River, from Canyon Creek, at the mouth of Gore Canyon, to the confluence of Rock Creek, near the town of McCoy, as a new gold medal fishery. In Colorado, Gold Medal status is reserved for state waters that produce a minimum of 60-pounds of trout per acre and 12 trout measuring 14-inches or longer per acre. Continue reading “Blue River loses gold medal trout stream designation”→

Bernie Sanders supporters will rally support for their candidate at a pair of upcoming meetings at the Broken Compass Brewery in Breckenridge.

The meetings are set for Feb. 21 and Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. and have been billed as a chance for Sanders supporters and undecided voters to learn more about Sanders, who bills himself as the only candidate to offer a real chance for any meaningful change in a political system that has broken down under the influence of Big Money.

With Colorado growing into an increasingly important role as a swing state, the state’s caucuses will be watched closely across the country to see if Sanders can win support from independent-minded voters.

The first round of precinct-level caucuses are scheduled for March 2, followed by County Convention and Assemblies, held between March 2 and March 26, 2016; Congressional District Convention and Assemblies, held between April 1 and April 15, 2016; and the State Convention and Assembly, April 16, 2016. All that leads up to the July Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

FRISCO — With Vail Resorts, Breckenridge and Summit County pledging more than $1 million combined toward Highway 9 upgrades, the Colorado Department of Transportation will be able to move ahead with widening the busy highway in the Iron Springs section, between Farmers Korner and Frisco.

CDOT had tabbed the four-laning of the highway as a high priority project that qualifies for accelerated construction and funding as long as there is a 20 percent match from local public and private partners. With that money now on the table, CDOT will be able to put the project up for bid this fall, with construction slated for 2016 and and 2017. Continue reading “Funding finalized, CDOT will four-lane more of Hwy. 9”→

FRISCO —You don’t have to go far in Summit County to find a good view. Sure, it’s great to get out for a long hike deep into the backcountry, but sometimes all you have to do is pull of the road in the right spot to enjoy the beauty of the Colorado high country. All the images in this set were taken within a quarter mile of local highways and byways, including one image that was taken right alongside Interstate 70 from a scenic overlook. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for daily photo updates and visit our online Fine Art America gallery for more Colorado landscape photography.

A view of the Gore Range from the flanks of the Williams Fork Range, at the edge of a new wilderness area proposed by Congressman Jared Polis. @bberwyn photo.A map of the areas covered by the Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act.

Along with new wilderness, the bill would also designate 16,000 acres as special management areas for recreation, and where some other activities, including wildfire mitigation and forest health treatments would be permitted.

Congressman Jared Polis’ introduction of the Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act should be applauded. This bill, the result of 5 years of local community engagement and consensus, is important not just to the central Rocky Mountains but to Colorado as a whole. Many Coloradans know this area for the endless recreational opportunities, whether it’s hiking, biking, camping, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, or just relaxing. As the owner of Seymour Lodging Corp, Colorado wilderness is of particular importance to me.

Owning a small business is never easy, particularly when your business is dependent on external factors such as weather and consumer discretionary income. Fortunately for myself and many other small business owners across the state, the designation of wilderness, in addition to enhancing quality of life, makes local tourism a little more secure.

The Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act protects many areas in the White River National Forest, which draws more than 9 million visitors annually; these visitors then support local tourism and outdoor recreation businesses.

The outdoor recreation industry in Colorado is a critical part of the state’s economy which generates $13.2 billion annually in consumer spending, and supports 125,000 jobs which pay over $4 billion in wages to Coloradans. Many small mountain towns count on tourism and outdoor recreation to stay afloat. I know personally how difficult this can be, and I would like to thank Congressman Polis for investing in the state of Colorado.

Richard Seymour

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Dear Editor,

After reading about the recent introduction of the Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act, I wanted to publicly thank Representative Jared Polis for his work protecting Colorado. As an avid hiker, I deeply enjoy spending free time in the Central Mountains.

Over the past 5 years Rep. Polis has worked with a plethora of local stakeholders to ensure that this legislation truly helps to support the local community- this hard work has paid off, garnering the support of everyone from mountain bikers and conservationists to hunters and small businessmen.

If passed, the Continental Divide Wilderness and Recreation Act would provide important protections for key watersheds in the Central Mountains and safeguard our ever-valuable Colorado water for local communities and the greater Front Range. As well, the Act would protect some of Colorado’s best fishing streams and preserve valuable wildlife habitat; thank you, Representative Polis!

Eddie Welsh

Eddie Welsh is history and political science major at Colorado State University. He has a special interest in environmental issues here in Colorado, particularly in the Central Mountains where he spend a great deal of time.

FRISCO —Sweet springtime in the Colorado Rockies. Snow on the high peaks, rivers swelling with runoff, fields and aspen groves greening up in the lengthening days and happy bluebirds! What could be better?